Forgotten Realms: Cauldron

House Rules

- Think this guy plays by the rules?

DM/Player Ruling Issues

If a ruling by the DM is wrong or in question then we will debate it for no more then two minutes. I will hear your side, and if it is reasonable I will overturn my original decision. If I rule an issue and ask for no debate on it then the rule will stand with no further comments. D&D is a board game, and is made to have fun, let’s have fun. Rules can be debated after a gaming session if you feel you’re not satisfied with my call. I may not know all the rules, and it is nice to have help amongst the players, but let’s not get wrapped up on the rules. I enjoy telling the story and role playing; the combat is an added bonus.

- All the healing kits in the world can’t fix stupid.

Healing

(Skill) Heal
The Heal skill allows characters to perform first aid (DC 15) to stabilize a dying character, provide long term care (DC15) to double healing rate over a day or more, treat wounds that hamper movement, treat poison and treat disease (see PHB p.75).
A character trained in heal that possesses a healer’s kit can also heal characters of lost hit points as follows (a use of the healing kit must be expended whether the roll is successful or not):
• A character’s capacity to be healed in this manner can not exceed 50% of their total hit points in a 24 hour period.
• A successful heal check (DC20) will heal the injured character one hit die (based on their dominant class) + 1hp per 2 ranks in heal the healer possesses.
• When resting for an 8 hour period, a heal check with a use of a healer’s kit can be used to maximize healing during this period
o Standard (DC15) = twice character HD in hit points healed
o Expert (DC20) = thrice character HD in hit points healed
o Advanced (DC25) = four times character HD in hit points healed
o Master (DC30) = five times character HD in hit points

- Got a 100 G.P. Pearl so I can Identify this?

Magic Item Identification

Spellcraft
The Spellcraft skill already allows characters to identify potions (DC 25) and scroll spells (DC 20 + spell level). Using Spellcraft, a character can identify a scroll in 1 round or a potion in 1 minute. Arms, Armor, Wands, and Minor Wondrous Items take 5 minutes whereas Rods, Rings, Staves, and other Wondrous items take 10 minutes.
As a guide to setting Spellcraft DCs, the prerequisite level for the relevant item creation feat is used. Potions (based on Brew Potion, minimum caster level 3rd) are DC 25 and scrolls (based on Scribe Scroll, minimum caster level 1st) begin at DC 20. By that logic, arms and armor and wands (minimum caster level 5th) are DC 30, rods (minimum caster level 9th) are DC 35, and rings and staffs (minimum caster level 12th) are DC 40. Wondrous items (minimum caster level 3rd) are relatively easy to identify with the DC at 25 for minor wondrous items, 30 for medium items, and 40 for major items.
Identifying magic is purely a Spellcraft-based mechanic, thus changing the identify and analyze dweomer spells so that instead of just identifying items, they provide bonuses to the caster’s Spellcraft checks for identifying magic. Identify gives a +20 bonus on one check, and analyze dweomer gives a +20 bonus on every check made for the duration of the spell. A character with the relevant item creation feat (other than Scribe Scroll) receives a +5 circumstance bonus on checks to identify magic. This technique allows a character with Craft Wands a better chance to identify a wand than someone without the feat.

Appraise
The Appraise Magic Value feat in Complete Adventurer accomplishes the same purpose, though it takes 8 hours to use and costs money each time. To alleviate such cost and provide a simpler method of identifying magic for other classes that are not based on the Spellcraft mechanic, the following feat can be used.
Appraise Magic [General]
You are skilled at evaluating magic items and discovering their secrets.
Prerequisite: Appraise 3 ranks.
Benefit: You can use the Appraise skill in place of the Spellcraft skill to identify magic items. Appraise is always a class skill for you.
Bardic Knowledge and Other Lore Abilities
Because bards have access to obscure information, the bardic knowledge class feature is a natural avenue for identifying magic items. You may add the character’s bard level to any Spellcraft check (or Appraise check, if you’re using the Appraise Magic Feat to identify magic items. This increase represents the bard’s special familiarity with all manner of magical secrets. Logically, the same bonus could apply to any Appraise check the bard makes to assess the monetary value of a magic item.
Other lore-based abilities, such as a loremaster’s lore, work the same way.
Dealing with Cursed Items
Cursed magic items can be detected using the Spellcraft, Appraise, or lore techniques described above except add +10 modifier to the DC to discern that an item is in fact cursed, since most cursed items appear as beneficial ones to normal identification.
No Show during a gaming session
The character receives ½ the experience gained during that session, and does not receive share of loot unless the majority votes he or she receives a share.
The character not at the session will be part of encounters but will never go below -9 (Die).
Alternate Character
I recommend you create an alternate character as back-up in case you die at the lower levels. The reasoning behind this is you will not be able to afford a raise dead or resurrection early on.